Wags and Whiskers. How are things at the shelter? By Ken market, board president

Transcription

1 PARK COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER Wags and Whiskers Winter 2016 How are things at the shelter? By Ken market, board president How are things at the Shelter? As PCAS President, that is the most common ques on I am asked. My answer comes in layers. First is the Shelter itself, which has long been PCAS s best feature. Our compassionate and caring staff, led by Manager Bri any Vaughn, are the reason almost every animal we take into our no kill shelter finds its forever home. The staff are some mes limited by the shelter building. But Bri any and her crew do an excellent job with what we have. Companion animals touch people s lives in many ways. At PCAS, we see that every day as we connect formerly unwanted pets with loving homes. You are a cri cal part of that and your support makes it all happen. H S? T! Next, our Board of Directors has done a courageous job of transforming the organiza on since the troubles of That s when a financial scandal nearly ruined the shelter and certainly tarnished our reputa on. The new Board overhauled our financial oversight and control by making many cri cal changes hiring an independent bookkeeper, publishing monthly financial reports, se ng up an endowment fund and much more. A er ge ng knocked down, we have go en up be er and stronger than ever and now pride ourselves as a very well run non profit. Lastly, now that things are running smoothly, we set our sights on renova ng and expanding the shelter. To do that, we must increase our fundraising prowess. This means increasing our annual opera ng fund and our endowment before we can successfully raise new building funds. Fortunately, our new Fundraising Coordinator Nikki Schleich is making that happen. It will take a few years, but everyone at PCAS is confident that will have a greatly improved shelter building before long.

2 Page 2 WITH APPRECIATION PCAS STAFF Brittany Vaughn Shelter Manager Polly Churma Vet Tech Rand Cole Valerie Swensrud Stephanie Tarbett Tiffany Waldner We want to thank West Park Hospital for the use of the Monument Room which Kim Jacobs has made available to us each month. The room is very comfortable and it meets our needs. The next meeting is December 15th at 5:30 pm. Again, many thanks to the folks from Cody Ace Hardware (Rod Peterson and the gang) for their continued support. Their donation of $300 or more each month of needed items helps to keep our costs down. Jerry Kinkade keeps a storage shed available at no cost to the Shelter for any item that may need to be stored throughout the year. Dawn Day uses this space for many of her Spring Garage Sale items. Thanks Jerry! A special thanks to the Cody Gunfighters for their $1,000 donation. They select different non-profit organizations each year for a donation. We appreciate that they were thinking of our animals again this year. The decorative wooden barrels that are located at the entrance to the Shelter are decorated each season by the Cody Garden Club. This Fall they added leaves, twigs, and other Fall foliage as well as little scarecrows. They are now working on wintery arrangements to add a different look to the Shelter. Thank you ladies! Allison Wildman is a website trainee and is learning the ins and outs of our website. We thank her for volunteering for this job. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS! PCAS BOARD MEMBERS Ken Markert, President David Burke, VP Andy Whiteman, Treasurer Tasa Brost, Secretary Jan Riley Bettye Dominick Jerri Sperry Mary Schock Joyce Cicco Alex Mitchell Linda Sparrow Terry Sparrow Jim Shapple Connie Moore Laurie Coy Holly Moen Mary Whitmore Gerry Patterson Doug Blough Dawn Day Mary Jo Hardy Linda Kolak Becky Ransom Kelsey Brown Jean Crutchfield Leigh Dvarkshkis Eric Berg Todd Currier Meg Sommers Lynn Entwisle Neil Markert Karen Palmour Robert Grossman Caroline Foy Carrie Christman Cynthia Stahl Jesse Williams Keith Collins

3 Page 3 All PCAS members are welcome to attend any Board Meeting, held on the third Thursday of every month at 5:30 at West Park Hospital. You can also get notices of all meetings by contacting Ken Markert at k.r.markert@gmail.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS Membership/Board Meeting Dec. 15th at 5:30 pm in the Monument Room at West Park Hospital. Ken at k.r.markert@gmail.com if you want to be on the list for the meetings. Everyone is welcome! THANK YOU WESTPARK HOSPITAL FOR MAKING THE ROOM AVAILABLE. 7th Jack Russel Corgi Races January 13th from 6-9 pm at the Cody Auditorium. See page 12 for more information. If you would like to be an event, race or dog sponsor, please call or BANKING FOR DOGS AND CATS The dog and cat banks add to our Shelter Fund Raising each year. From March of this year the total collections are: $2, March August $3, September-November $5, TOTAL Gerry Patterson is hoping to reach over $6,000 for the year with a lot of Christmas Spirit donations in December. Call Gerry if you are interested in having a bank in your business or if you know of someone that might be interested. Thank you to all the businesses who display a bank and also to those who have supported this newsletter by purchasing ads. These ads reduce our cost of printing and mailing the newsletter, which is greatly appreciated! PAST EVENTS Holiday Craft Fair There are some happy dogs & cats at the Shelter thanks to those who helped with the Holiday Craft Fair tables. We raised $2,655. This couldn t have happened without the help of our magnificent sales force: Jan Hoar, Lorna Anderson, Linda Del Toro, Joyce Cicco, Carrie Christman, Dawn Day, Jan Riley and Mary Whitmore. They didn t take no for an answer. Of course, we had some wonderful items to sell. One table had dog treats, dog & cat toys, catnip, baked goods and candy. Dave Burke s photographs were a big hit. The other table had handmade soaps, trivets, postcards, beautiful scarves of all kinds, a variety of minions, jewelry, work aprons, cat mats and toys, kitchen sets, knitted & felt items, quilts and wall hangings. Thanks to all the wonderful folks who enjoy knitting and textiles, baking and making. We had a great year. Check out the PCAS website to see all who volunteered. We also sold 24 tickets to the Dog Races. We are happy to support a no-kill shelter.

4 Page 4 These are Just a Few of the Shelter Residents Who are Looking for Their Forever Home Binx is a beautiful black cat who has been with us for over two years. He is the sweetest guy who just tends to be a little nocturnal! Woodie is a handsome and sweet senior cat! Bear is an 8 year old German Shepard mix who came to us when his owner had to go to a care facility. He only ever knew one owner, so he just takes a little while to get used to new people. He s very sweet when he trusts you! Freddy is a handsome guy who has been with us since he was a kitten! Bentley is a young Shepard/Border Collie mix with all the potential in the world!

5 Page 5 Manager s Corner: Hope for Homes! By Brittany Vaughn As the holiday season quickly approaches, there are many symbols that we associate with Christmas. Whether it is Santa Claus, Christmas trees, or chestnuts over an open fire, we are always reminded of the joy of this season. A symbol that we here at the shelter have been reminded of a lot lately is the Star of Bethlehem. We were asked this year to decorate a cabin for the Old Trail Town Christmas, where we are sponsoring a cabin in honor of the Shelter and the work that we do. The theme for the cabins this year is the Star of Bethlehem, so we ve been seeing a lot of them! Many beliefs surround the Star; one that resonates for us at the shelter the most is that it s a symbol of hope. Every time a potential adopter walks into the shelter, it is a possibility of a new life and new home for at least one of our animals. Each person that enters is a beacon of hope that each and every animal will eventually find their own forever home. Every time a person comes in to meet the animals, we see the hope all over their face. Their eyes light up when they get to meet new people, and sometimes it is a perfect fit! This holiday season, consider giving an animal some hope. Whether it s taking a dog for a walk, making a donation, or giving an animal a new home, it makes a world of difference to the animals in our care! ADOPTING A PET There are many loving pets available at the Shelter. They have been neutered or spayed (if age appropriate). And have received their first series of shots. A free veterinarian visit is included with participating vets. Adoption Fees are: $35 for a Cat $50 for a Dog over 5 years old $75 for a Dog under 5 years old You don t have to be a Park County resident to adopt a pet. Stop by the Shelter at 5537 Greybull Hwy. We are open everyday from 12:00 5:30 pm, except Sundays.

6 Page 6 Fundraiser s Corner Nikki Schleich, PCAS Fundraising Coordinator I am so excited to be getting ready for the Season! I have been working hard on a wonderful Holiday Giving Letter that most of you have probably received either by mail or ! This is the first year we are doing an end-of-year giving drive. We know that our supporters are so incredibly generous and we sure couldn t do it without you! So, whether you ve given or not this year, if you think you have a little extra to spare, we can surely put your donation to excellent use! In other news, PCAS is going digital with our new monthly e-newsletter! This will be a shorter e-newsletter than our paper mail version, and will allow you to get a more day to day feel of what is going on at the shelter. The monthly e-newsletter will be ed on the 1 st Tuesday of every month and will include: A message from Ken Markert, our board President Shelter statistics and happenings A spotlight section on a volunteer, donor, or supporter Upcoming Events Some sort of fun feature story (for October it was Park County animals dressed up in their Halloween costumes!) So if you haven t given us your address, please get that to us as soon as you can! You don t want to miss out on next month s e-newsletter! Send your address to development@parkcountyanimalshelter.org Happy Holidays Ya ll! The Ads that appear in the Cody Enterprise, the Buyers Guide and The Pulse could be the beginning of a forever home for dogs and cats that reside at the PCAS. We thank the following for sponsoring a pet needing a home. Ryan-McKenna Family Dogs W.C. Orrell, Jr. of Little Big Man Books Chadwick Veterinary Hospital Bill and Sue Smith at Fireworks Factory Outlet Lifetime Small Animal Hospital Advanced Veterinary Care Center Dawns Dogs, etc The Royal Palace

7 3 DOG RESCUE is looking for Foster Homes and Good Homes for These Dogs Page 7 Chloe is a 6 month old Boerboel Heeler. She is now spayed and current on her vaccinations, is nicely housetrained, loves to cuddle and will be a big girl when she matures. Her breed comes directly from the Bull Mastiff and they are very sturdy dogs that are used to herd and guard, originating from South America. Being a young puppy, she will require a certain amount of exercise to burn off some of her energy. She can also jump fences, so needs to be supervised if she were to find a home in town. This breed is very social and can become couch-potatoes when older. George is a very handsome young Mountain Cur/Black & Tan Coonhound mix who is now neutered and current on his vaccinations. He needs to go into foster care with someone familiar with hunting dogs as he has been kenneled all his young life and is an extremely active puppy who needs to run. Hounds are great family dogs, good with children and other animals but his previous owner never worked with him and he can be a wild-child due to his pent-up energy! He is approximately 18 months old and is very sweet and deserves a chance for a good life! Crystal is a 3 year old purebred Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler) who is as smart as can be! She is extremely well trained, excellent in the house and LOVES to be with her people! She has a typical heeler attitude and would like to be the leader of the pack, but is extremely obedient and eager to please. Crystal loves to GO anywhere and everywhere, is good off leash and would be the perfect companion dog. She hears and sees EVERYTHING and can act very protective. She would be perfect for someone who lives alone or out in the country where she can alert you that something is going on! Zip is a very handsome Queensland Red Heeler who is neutered, microchipped, current on his vaccinations and needs to find a foster or forever home right away! He moved here from a big property in Montana and is now being tied up as he is on a much smaller property and has started chasing the chickens and cows for fun. This boy is a really NICE heeler and just needs a job or some activity in his life. Rocky is a two year old American Bulldog who is a big, lovable baby! He does not know how strong and powerful he is and can sometimes play too rough. We think Rocky would do best as an only dog for an active single person or a young couple with small children as he is also a guarding breed who wants to protect. He is very sweet, loyal and sensitive, and absolutely the nicest BIG BOY anyone could have. He definitely needs friends and socialization at least a day/week at doggie daycare or have friends come to visit! Missy is a Borgi (Border Collie/Corgi mix) who is full of energy and ready to find an active home! She is very sweet, good with children, cats, dogs and needs lots of activity. She is very smart and needs discipline as she is still a puppy. Call or Kathy for more information: Kathy@3dogrescue.com

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9 Page 9 Cold weather, wind and snow can bring about life-threatening emergencies for animals that are left outside. If it is cold for you, it is also cold for them. Please, do what you can to help these animals. A shelter out of the weather for a wind break (even an old building) and any kind of bedding that can be kept dry is very helpful. Hay or straw bales also make a great windbreak. These animals also need extra food and water. If their water freezes you may have to check it out several times a day. Don t forget your livestock either. With extra food and plenty of water and--- yes, it may mean you have to chop ice-- they can endure pretty cold weather. Digger s Delightful Chocolates The very best for dogs and cats is to be able to be sheltered during these cold days. Think about all our furry, hairy friends and don t forget the feathered ones either. They like extra food and fresh water when you can provide it. They also like peanut butter and suet especially the chick-a-dees. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR PCAS SUPPORTERS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. BE SURE THE ANIMALS ARE ON YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST!!! Truffles, Tortoises, Bear Paws, Chocolate Covered Caramels& Mixed Nuts Call or to Order: emwhitwy@yahoo.com Available from fall to spring 100% of Proceeds Benefit Park County Animal Shelter & Spay/Neuter Clinics Everyone at PCAS wishes to thank the Nancy-Carroll Draper Charitable Foundation for its very generous gift of $25,000 for the capital campaign for the shelter building renovation/expansion. For many years the Foundation has provided PCAS with funding for general shelter operations. In her life, Ms Draper ( ) was an active PCAS supporter, a world-renown breeder and judge of pedigree Great Danes, a Southfork ranch owner and a major benefactor of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West s Draper Museum of Natural History. Foundation Trustee Thomas E. Peckham wrote PCAS to say that he and the other Trustees were pleased to learn about the progress and planning to renovate the shelter. He also noted that the Trustees are happy to assist PCAS in carrying out Nancy-Carroll Draper s legacy and her commitment to animal welfare. He also wished us continued success with the campaign. The PCAS Board, staff, members and volunteers and all others assisting and supporting our shelter are profoundly grateful for this wonderful gift cell

10 Page 10 Follow and interact with Bobby Rock on Facebook once a week for a live event as he broadcasts about an adoptable animal from the Shelter with Brittany s help. Adoptions: Dogs/Puppies Cats/Kittens September 7 21 October 9 13 November Currently in the Shelter: Dogs/Puppies 12 Cats/Kittens 49 There are 5 dogs and 1 cat with foster families.

11 Page 11 The Wyoming Basset Hound Rescue and the Park County Animal Shelter have been doing the Santa Pet Photo Shoot for about 12 years. The expenses and income are divided between the two non -profit organizations. They advertise in the Buyer s Guide, The Cody Enterprise and The Powell Tribune. Posters were hung at local businesses and a picture of the poster was posted on Facebook pages in Cody and Powell. Justine May, who was the photographer this year, donated her time. Each of the organizations should receive $283 from this years Santa Shoot. This Santa was Patrick Hardage who also donated his Santa time. Volunteers this year were: Gerri Sperry and Suzie Warner plus the usual crew of Mary Schock, Gerry Patterson, Dawn Day and Holly Moen who have been involved with this production every year. We want to send a BIG THANK YOU to Cody Tractor Supply Company for the use of their building for this fun event. The Shelter is open to the public from 12:00-5:30 pm everyday except Sundays Website manager@parkcountyanimalshelter.org We are also on Facebook SEND MAIL TO: PO BOX 203 CODY, WY STEWARTS Your Gourmet Food Destination Locally owned since th Street, Cody

12 Page 12 Party Bob is Ready to Party Join him at the 7 th Jack Russell Corgi Races Friday, January 13, 2017 Cody Auditorium. 6 pm 9pm Races start at 6:45 pm Jack Russell, Corgis, and Surprise Racers Food, Bar, Silent Auction, Try your Luck on Squares Bid on the Calcutta Tickets $10, $30 per Family of 4 or more, children under 6 free Buy your tickets early at PCAS, Cody Chamber of Commerce, or Online (parkcountyanimalshelter.org) and be automatically entered in a $500 Cash Raffle. PCAS is looking for sponsors for the Jack Russell Corgi Races. $125 Fast Dogs Sponsors - your name on event banners and race announcement $100 Race Fan Sponsors your name on event banners. Call for more information or

13 Volunteers Make it Happen Page 13 Our Park County Animal Shelter was founded on volunteer efforts. From the beginning, when the first meetings were held in1990, the volunteers were there. There were no paid positions until the fall of The volunteers came from Powell and Cody and that included the veterinarians. Volunteers cared for the dogs and cats walking the dogs, petting the cats feeding them and of course cleaning up after them. There were volunteers from Marathon Oil Company that cleaned and painted the first Shelter that was at the old Doctor Roberts Veterinary Clinic. Volunteers collected money and did the fund raising to establish the Shelter that we know today. It was opened in December of The volunteering still continues. The Board Members all volunteer their time not only for the monthly meetings, but also for the work on the other sub-committees. The time that is spent getting ads for the news letter, collecting the dollars, dimes and nickels for the dog banks, and running all the special events that brings money into the Shelter. Volunteers!! The annual Holiday Craft Fair that was recently held brought in $2655 for the Shelter. All the things that were made to sell at the PCAS tables were donated by volunteers. Dog cookies, cat toys, dog coats, baked items, handmade items of various kinds and many, many more items, plus the time that it takes to get this all arranged and put away. Volunteers!!! The Shelter partnered with The Wyoming Basset Hound Rescue for the Santa Pet Photo that was held on November the 12 th. Approximately $ was divided between the two non-profit organizations. This was all put on by Volunteers!!! Just think about the Corgi and Jack Russell Dog Races that will be coming up in January Friday the 13 th. The time it takes to set up and take down the dog runs; having all the contestants ready to run; all the folks that donate their time and talents for the silent auction items; the local merchants that donate money for all the advertizing that pays for the Dog Racing Night; and all the organizing it takes to make this a success, guess what? Volunteers!!! And what about the people in our community that volunteer their time at the Shelter. Folks that come in to pet and socialize with the cats; the ones that have made cat toys, cat beds and extra climbing areas for the cats to play on in the Shelter and in their outdoor roaming area; the ones that walk the dogs and socialize with them; those who have worked on making the dog kennels a safer, better and a more comfortable place for the dogs to live. Volunteers!! The outside areas around the Shelter that has been shoveled, raked, wired, planted and worked on in various ways to make the area more attractive has been donated and done by YES, volunteer workers. The Park County Animal Shelter is what it has become today because of all the time, energy and support from all the volunteers in our communities. We are thankful for all they do and their continued loyal support for our Shelter.

14 5537 Greybull Highway P.O. Box 203 Cody, WY (307) Open to the Public: 12:00 5:30 pm everyday, except Sundays Website: Like us on Facebook! We post pictures of all strays that come to the Shelter. It s a great way to see if we have your missing critter. See this newsletter in full color at